Devil Dwarves
Devil dwarves tend strongly toward lawful alignments and definitely dip toward the evil end of the spectrum. There are exceptions, of course, but the devil dwarves live in a culture steeped in the worship of the infernal and the acts of depravity this sometimes requires. While many are decent individuals in their daily lives, they cannot resist the commands of their devilish masters, who often demand anything from cannibalism to self-mutilation as acts of worship. Devil dwarves of chaotic or good alignments are regarded as aberrations by their communities and are often slain or exiled once their worldview becomes well known. Despised by the members of their original clan and mistrusted by those outside, these exiles often have short brutal lives which end in misery and death. In the underlands, men without allies do not last long. Appearance Devil dwarves are roughly the same height as hill or mountain dwarves but not quite as heavy. Their skulls often seem oversized, however, giving them a looming, somewhat alien appearance that many find disturbing. Females are somewhat taller and thinner than the males, leading some to believe that they are being selectively bred for the height to make more accommodating mates for devils. Their skin is pale and marked by large birthmarks which range in color from deep rust to blazing scarlet. Their hair, most often ranging in color from charcoal grey to pale silver, is allowed to grow long and is often used to mask the more unsightly birthmarks. As do other dwarves, the devil dwarves value their beards greatly, regarding them as a strong connection to a past they only dimly understand. Males begin growing their beards around their twentieth year and plait a small bead into their facial hair each year so many of the elders are often hidden by the massive quantities of beads and trinkets in the hair. As the females don’t grow beards they tend to add tiny tattoos on their chins in a complex pattern which grows in size over time. History Early History Other History Recent History Society & Culure Society Many years ago before devil dwarves became their own race they were just like any other hill or mountain dwarf but their greed became too much and the story states that they dug to deep and started running into problems until they found gates to Hell and they started making pacts with the creatures that emerged. They ended up having to pay the price for the help they received and the greatest price they paid was the devils wanted to mingle their blood with the clans they helped causing a new race to appear. Many times devil dwarves will remain in their now ancestral lands whenever possible. If they were going to cut and run at the first sign of danger or give up their lands in the face of adversity, there would probably not be any devil dwarves to begin with. Religion Devil dwarves have no single deity, instead worshipping whatever infernal creature it was who rescued them from their fate so long ago. Many of these devils actually serve as conduits for more powerful alien deities, who provide the spells and other miracle to the priests of the devil dwarves. Like other aspects of life in these tainted clans, religion is highly regimented and rigorously controlled by the priests and their masters. Ceremonies are held regularly, but the exact times and durations of these observations vary from clan to clan. Most importantly, the religions of two clans of devil dwarves will not always mesh and it is not uncommon for rival clans to war over religious differences. It is crucial to remember that members of this sub race worship devils and their masters, a situation which can lead to all manner of interesting situations when relating to other clans. Relations Devil dwarves do not get along well with members of most other races, due mainly to their known affiliations with devils and evil gods. While the devil dwarves do not go out of their way to interact with the races, their encounters with them tend to be unsatisfactory for all involved. The devil dwarves are prone to attacking intruders, and other races know all too well the myths surrounding this strange type of dwarf. As individuals, devil dwarves are most able to tolerate gnomes, humans and teiflings who are willing to give the devil dwarves the benefit of the doubt. Other dwarves and elves, however despise these creatures, viewing them as abominations to be destroyed or at the very least imprisoned. A few devil dwarf clans have been able to make long-lasting truces and alliances with half-orcs, providing magical services in exchange for the strength at arms the half-orcs bring to the table. Halfling avoid devil dwarves, not out of fear but rather the instinctive dread with which this dwarven sub race seems to surround itself. The darker races have as little tolerance for devil dwarves as do other races. They are familiar with the types of creatures the devil dwarves serve and have no desire to become embroiled in their machinations and holy wars. When dealing with mind flayers, goblinoids, drow, and other subterranean races, the devil dwarves give them a wide berth and receive the same. Adventurers Devil dwarves have many reasons for joining the adventuring lifestyle. Some are driven out by their communities when it becomes apparent they are either chaotic or good, others make too many enemies and flee for safer environs, and still others leave on search of magical treasures and lost lore. Racial Traits * Ability Scores: +2 CON, +2 CHA, -2 STR * Medium Size * Normal Speed * Darkvision (60 ft.) * Spellcunning (replaces Stonecunning): +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks made to determine which spell is being cast. * Hardy: +2 racial bonus on saves vs. poison, spells, and spell-like abilities *'Hatred:' +1 racial bonus to attack rolls against non-devil Outsiders *'Greed:' +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks for non-magical items. *'Fiendish Sorcery:' If a devil dwarf is a sorcerer with the Infernal bloodline, it treats its caster level as 1 higher when casting bonus spells and bloodline powers. This trait does not give members of this race early access to level-based powers; it only affects powers that they could already use without this trait. Alternate Racial Traits Subraces